Ink supply reservoir



Aug. 2, 1966 J. P. SQUI ER INK SUPPLY RESERVOIR Filed June 15, 1964 I NVENTOR John P. Squier WW wwmm United States Patent 3,264,652 INK SUPPLY RESERVUIR John P. Squier, 537 S. Marius Drive, Dallas, Tex. Filed June 15, 1964, Ser. No. 375,192

7 Claims. (Cl. 346-140) This invention relates to ink supply reservoirs for pens of the reservoir type which are adapted for use with recording instruments.

It is one object of the invention to provide a new and improved light weight ink reservoir and supply system for pens of the reservoir type, and which IS adapted to be mounted on and used with recording instrument pen arms without altering the pen arm or pen point.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a new. and improved ink supply system of the type described which is suitable for mounting on the pen arms of swingable pens of recording instruments.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ink reservoir and supply system for pens of recording instruments, which may be mounted directly on the movable recording pen of the instrument without affecting in any substantial degree the movement of the pen and accuracy of the instrument. I

A particular object of the invention IS to provide a new and improved ink reservoir in an ink supply system of the character described.

A particularly important object of the lnvention is to provide an ink supply system of the character described wherein an elongate conductor tube having a fiber wick there-in is provided for conducting ink from the ink reservoir to the pen reservoir; and wherein the fit of the w ck in the conduit is such that the capillary action of the wick prevents flooding but produces a steady flow of ink from the reservoir to the pen point when the pen point becomes low in ink.

A further object of the invention is to provide an 1mprove-d reservoir having means providing a conduit for the conductor tube separated from the ink supply chamber.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will 'be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front plan view of a pen provide-d with the ink supply system of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the pen and ink supply system of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the manner in which the pen arm and ink supply system is employed to trace a record on a circular chart;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4; and,

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the pen point of the pen and the lower end of the ink conduit and wick shown in FIGURE 2.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a conventional recording instrument .pen arm having an upper arm section 11 which can be clamped to the operating shaft (not shown) of a recording instrument by means of the clamping screw 12 which draws the bifurcated upper ends 13 and 14 of the upper arm section toward each other. An intermediate arm section 15 is adjustably secured to the lower portion of the upper arm section by screws 16 and 17 which extend through the slot 18 in the intermediate arm section and into threaded bores in the upper arm section. The lower elongate arm pen section 19 is 3,264,652 Patented August 2, 1966 ice pivotally mounted on the intermediate section by means of a rivet 20. A micrometer screw 21 mounted on the intermediate arm section and engaging in a suitable threaded aperture in a post 22 on the upper end of the lower arm section provides for adjustment for the lower arm section about the rivet 20. The lower end of the lower arm section has mounted thereon a pen point 23. The pen arm 10 just described is of conventional structure and will not, therefore, be described in greater detail, though it will be readily apparent that pen arms having structures differing from the structure shown may be used, and that the ink reservoir and supply system 25 of the invention may be used with pen arms having a structure differing from that illustrated.

The ink reservoir and supply system 25 includes a substantially rectangular reservoir member 26 which may be secured at any position on the pen arm, but is preferably disposed and is shown as attached to the upper end of the lower arm section 19 of the pen above the rivet 20 in order that the weight of the ink contained in the reservoir will be located as near the shaft on which the pen arm is mounted as possible, whereby the weight of the ink reservoir and supply system does not affect the normal use and operation of the recording instrument and pen arm. An elongate small diameter conductor tube 27, preferably made of a flexible material as will hereinafter be more fully explained, extends upwardly through an elongate longitudinally disposed groove 28 formed in the rear surface of the reservoir 26 and is bent over the upper end of the wall of the reservoir 26 at 29 and ex tends downwardly into the interior 36 of the reservoir, as clearly shown in FIGURE 4. The conductor tube extends downwardly from the reservoir 32 of the pen point 23, the lower end 31 of the tube 27 being curved inwardly into the recess or reservoir portion 32 of the pen point 23 as best shown in FIGURE 7. If desired, the lower end of the tube may terminate at a point spaced a short distance above the pen point. The conductor tube is secured to the lower section 19 of the pen arm by suitable plastic adhesive strips 33, 34 and 35 as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2. The bands 33, 34 and 35 are preferably made of a very light plastic coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive whereby the conductor tube may be secured to and held in place on the pen arm without removing the pen arm from the instrument on which it is mounted and without materially affecting the operation of the pen arm by added weight.

A wick 36 is disposed in the bore of the conductor tube and extends throughout the length of such conductor tube from the lower end to the upper end thereof, the lower end 37 of the wick being disposed in the reservoir portion 32 of the pen point 23 and the upper end 38 of the conductor tube and downwardly into the bore 30 of the reservoir 36 as clearly shown in FIGURE 4. The wick is preferably formed of two strands 36a and 36b of cotton fiber and the ends of the strands are secured together by knots 36c and 36d as shown in the drawings. While the lower ends of the strands of the wick may be joined by a knot 36c, it is also believed obvious that such lower end may be in the form of a continuous loop which is disposed in the pen point reservoir adjacent the nibs of the pen point. The reservoir 26 is secured to the upper end of the lower section 19 of the pen by a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive 40 which will adhere to both the rear surface 41 of the reservoir 26 and to the face or front surface of the lower pen arm section 19. One side of the adhesive strip may be affixed to the rear surface 41 of the reservoir 26 and the opposite side of the strip may be provided with a protective coating (not shown) until it is desired to secure the reservoir to the pen arm, at which time the protective coating may be removed and the reservoir pressed firmly into place on the upper portion of the lower section 19 of the pen arm as shown in FIGURES and 6.

An adjusting screw 45 may be threaded through a suitable aperture in the lower portion or bottom 46 of the reservoir 26 into the lower end of the groove 28 whereby the screw may be adjusted to compress the conductor tube 27 and the wick contained therein against the opposite wall of the groove to construct or restrict flow through the wick in the conductor tube if desired.

The plastic reservoir 26 is made of an extremely light weight rigid plastic, such as polystyrene, whereby the reservoir will retain its shape even through the walls are extremely thin relative to the remainder of the dimensions thereof and whereby the reservoir will hold a sufficient supply of ink without deformation. The groove 28 in the rear wall of the reservoir is of sufiicient depth to permit the conductor tube 27 to be disposed therein and to be freely movable therein without such tube projecting beyond the rear surface of the reservoir. A retaining rib or band 28a is formed on the lower portion of the rear wall of the reservoir for enclosing the lower end portion of the groove 28 in the rear wall of the reservoir for retaining the conductor tube 27 in place in the groove, as shown in FIGURE 6. The upper end portion 39 of the conductor tube is bent over the upper end of the wall of the groove 28 and downwardly into the chamber 30 of the reservoir and thus retains the upper portion of the conductor in place, while the strip or band 28a retains the lower portion of the conductor tube in place in the groove. Furthermore, the adhesive strip likewise confines the conductor tube in the groove.

By provision of the groove 28, the conductor tube may be inserted and removed from its operative position with respect to the reservoir without causing any linkage such as would occur if the tube were to be extended through an opening in the bottom wall 46 of the reservoir. This groove structure also permits replacement or adjustment of the tube 27 without the necessity of replacing the reservoir therewith. Also, leakage is prevented by virtue of the fact that the reservoir remains intact in all its walls and the upper end 39 of the conductor tube is inserted downwardly into the chamber of the reservoir without affecting the integrity of the walls of the reservoir. Likewise, the adjusting screw can be adjusted in position to clamp the conductor tube against the opposite wall of the groove 28 without affecting the integrity of the reservoir walls. The double faced pressure sensitive adhesive strip 40 provides for ready application of the reservoir to the pen arm and will retain the reservoir against displacement therefrom, providing an elongate adhered supporting engagement between the reservoir and the pen arm. Of course, if desired, suitable strips similar to the strips 33, 34- and 35 may be used to secure the reservoir to the pen arm.

The conductor tube 27 is preferably formed of a small gage very thin wall Teflon tubing which is not affected by extreme high or low temperatures and which is extremely flexible and resistant to corrosion and action of the inks used therein; or ambient fumes and the like. The tubing is preferably a 22 gage with an internal diameter of approximately 0.027 inch and outside diameter of approximately 0.039 inch, though the internal diameter may vary by 0.001 inch.

The wick is preferably formed of two strands of 30 gage mercerized cotton fiber strands twisted together and pulled through the conductor tube 27. Each of the strands of the fiber wick material has a diameter of approximately 0.015 inch and is made of three individual cords of mercerized cotton of equal diameter, approximately 0.005 inch each. Thus, since the wick is formed of two strands of the cotton thread or fiber, there are preferably six individual cords of the mercerized cotton material extending through the tube, each providing for capillary fiow of ink therealong. It is desirable that the wick of mercerized cotton strands fit closely and rather tightly in the conductor tube, and therefore it is possible that 30 gage mercerized cotton strands having four cords in each of the strands might be used satisfactorily, or that possibly in some instances a pair of strands having a total of as few as four cords fitting tightly within the tube would serve satisfactorily. The strands of cotton fiber are pulled through the conductor tube under tension and must fit rather tightly in the tube, since a loose fit would result in a syphoning effect which is not desired and is to be avoided.

Before inserting the cord fiber wick in the tube, the strands thereof are preferably treated with a solution of two parts of industrial glycerin and three parts of water, mixed. The strands of the wick are soaked in the mixture and are then drawn through the conductor tube. This treatment of the wick by saturating it with the glycerin and the water mixture before pulling it through the conductor tube substantially eliminates or reduces the presence of air between the fibers of the wick as the wick is drawn through the conductor tube, and provides a wick which will more readily receive and conduct the ink from the reservoir to the pen point by capillary action because of the fact that the glycerin and water mixture is of substantially the same consistency as the ink used in the recording instruments. The wick when dry will require a longer period of time for the recording instrument ink to be drawn by the capillary action of the wick through the conductor tube to the pen point than is required when the wick has been treated with the glycerin and water solution. This treatment also remains effective during an extended time period after the manufacture of the ink supply system, and may last until the system has been placed in use on the instrument pen arm to which it is attached so that the pen may be more readily placed in operation after attachment of the system to the pen arm. Furthermore, it is desirable that after installing the ink supply system on the pen arm, both the ink reservoir 26 and the pen reservoir 32 be filled with ink at the time the system is placed in operation. The ink in the pen point reservoir will serve to permit; the pen to function by leaving a trace on the recording paper or desk or strip for a sufficient period of time to permit the ink from the pen reservoir 26 to be drawn by the capillary action of the wick from the reservoir downwardly through the conductor tube to the pen point to replenish the supply of ink being used as the pen marks its trace on the recording chart.

The relatively tight fit of the wick in the conductor tube prevents any syphoning effect which would take place if the conductor tube were less tightly and thoroughly filled with the wick. Also, because the upper end 39 of the wick conductor tube 27 is disposed near the upper end of the reservoir chamber 30, any syphoning which would take place will be limited to that small amount of ink which is in direct contact with the upper end 39 of the conductor tube. The lower end 31 of the conductor tube and the lower portion 37 of the wick are disposed with respect to the reservoir 32 of the pen point 33 in such a manner that no portion of the tube 27 or of the wick 36 extends below the level of the reservoir 32 of the pen point. This prevents spilling of the ink which might result if the wick were to be permitted to loop below the reservoir 32 of the pen point. Ink from the reservoir chamber 30 is drawn by capillary action into the wick and upwardly from the upper end 39 around the bent portion 29, then downwardly through the conductor tube 27 to the lower end of the conductor tube, and then outwardly on the exposed lower end 37 of the wick. As the reservoir 32 of the pen point becomes sufficiently filled with ink to provide a body of ink therein which serves to wet the lower end 37 of the wick 36, the capillary action of the wick stops, since both ends of the wick, the upper end 38 and the lower end 37, are equally wet with the ink. As ink is used out of the reservoir 32, the lower portion 37 of the wick becomes slightly drier than the upper portion 38 thereof and the ink then is drawn by capillary action of the wick from the chamber 30 of the reservoir 26 downwardly through the conductor tube to the lower end 37 of the wick and into the pen point reservoir 32. The ink is conducted by the capillary action of the wick from the reservoir to the pen point until the body of ink in the pen point reservoir contacted by the lower portion of the Wick in the pen point sufficiently wets the lower end of the wick to stop further flow. It is also believed readily apparent that as ink is used out of the pen point 23, the flow of ink to replace the ink used by the pen will take place at a rate which will supply the pen with sufficient ink to enable the pen to mark the chart of the instrument on which the pen is being used even for extreme maximum periods of time and the widest ranges of motion of the pen with respect to the chart.

It has also been found that dirt, dust or the like accumulating in the reservoir chamber 30 of the reservoir 26 is not transmitted along with the ink through the conductor tube 27 to the pen point, and therefore the pen point does not become clogged or stopped up by the dust or foreign matter which may accumulate in the reservoir, such foreign matter being filtered out by the action of the ink passing through the wick.

It is also believed readily apparent that the adjusting screw 45 may be turned to move the inner end thereof inwardly of the groove 28 to compress the conductor tube 27 and the wick 36 carried thereby to further c-onstrict or restrict the flow of ink through the conductor tube along the wick, thus affording further control of the capillary How of ink through the wick and conductor tube to the pen point.

Due to the light weight and the thin wall of the material of which the reservoir 26 and the conductor tube 27 are formed, and due to the light weight of the Wick contained in the conductor tube, the entire assembly without ink in the reservoir is extremely light, weighing in one common form less than one-tenth of an ounce. Therefore, the mounting of the reservoir system on the pen arm does not affect to any noticeable degree the action of the pen arm of the recording instrument. Even with ink in the reservoir, the weight is of such negligible value that the action of the pen arm and the instrument is not affected by the mounting of the ink supply system on the pen arm.

It will thus be apparent that a new and improved ink supply system has been provided which can be readily attached to any conventional pen arm of a recording instrument without requiring the alteration of the instrument or the pen arm, and that the installation of the ink supply system on the pen arm does not affect the accuracy of the instrument, since it is very light in weight and because a major part of the weight of the system is disposed on the pen arm closely adjacent the shaft on which the pen arm is mounted. It will also be seen that the system provides a substantial volume of ink for long time recording intervals and for wide ranges of movement of the pen. It will also be seen that the system includes improved means for conducting ink from the storage reservoir to the pen point and provides for a constant supply of ink to the pen point by capillary action, and that the supply conductor and wick of the system prevent flooding of the pen point by excess delivery of ink from the reservoir to the pen point, and that syphoning of ink from the reservoir to the pen point is prevented.

It will also be seen that the system provides an additional means for adjustment in the volume of flow through the capillary conductor system so that if necessary the volume or rate of flow of ink through the conductor tube may be adjusted for optimum results depending upon the type of ink employed, the physical structure of the pen and the volume of movement of the pen on the chart.

It will further be seen that an improved reservoir has been provided wherein the container or the reservoir for the supply of ink is separated from and maintained intact with respect to the conductor tube and wick conducting the ink from the reservoir to the pen point whereby leakage of ink from the reservoir is prevented and whereby the wick may be removed and replaced or the wick and conductor tube may be removed and replaced as desired or if necessary. Furthermore, the manner of mounting the conductor tube in the groove in the rear of the reservoir and separated from the chamber of the reservoir permits moving the wick in the conductor to clear stoppages should the ink be permitted to dry at any time in the conductor tube. Also, the separate mounting of the conductor tube and wick with respect to the reservoir permits an exchange of wicks in the conductor tube to adjust the fit of the wick in the tube and thus provide a closer control over the capillary flow of ink from the reservoir to the pen point.

As will also be seen means has been provided for securing the ink supply system to. the pen arm which will securely hold the system in place on the pen arm and which does not require modification or alteration of the construction of the pen arm or its components.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An ink supply system for a pen of a recording instrument having an elongate arm provided with a pen point and comprising: an elongate reservoir having a chamber therein and having a longitudinally extending external groove in one surface thereof; said reservoir being formed of light weight thin-wall rigid plastic and being open only at its upper end; an elongate conductor tube formed of a light weight thin-wall flexible plastic and having its upper portion movably disposed in said groove of said reservoir and its upper end extending from said groove upwardly over the open upper end of said reservoir and downwardly into said reservoir chamber adjacent the upper end of said reservoir and extending longitudinally from the lower end of said groove and extending substantially below the bottom of said reservoir; a wick extending through said conductor tube and having an upper end extending outwardly from the upper end of the tube and downwardly into the chamber of the reservoir to a point adjacent the lower end of said chamber and a lower end extending outwardly from the opposite end of the tube and adapted to be disposed within a pen point; means on said reservoir for retaining the upper portion of said tube within said external groove of said reservoir means on the exterior of said reservoir for securing said reservoir to a pen arm; and means for securing said conductor tube to said pen arm below said reservoir.

2. An ink supply system of the character set forth in claim 1 including: adjustable means on the lower portion of said reservoir spaced from said chamber therein and extending into the lower portion of the external groove therein to engage said conductor tube disposed in said groove for compressing said conductor tube in said groove to restrict flow of ink through said tube.

3. An ink supply system of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the elongate flexible plastic thin-walled tube has a bore of approximately 0.027 inch in diameter; and wherein the wick extending through said tube comprises .at least four cords of mercen'zed cotton twisted together and joined at their projecting ends.

4. An ink supply system of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for securing the reservoir to the pen arm comprises: a strip of plastic adhesive having one adhesive surface adhered to the reservoir and having an opposite adhesive surface adapted to be adhered to the pen arm to hold the reservoir in place thereon.

5. An ink supply system of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the wick is formed of two strands of No. 30 mercerized cotton cord, each strand being formed of at least three cords twisted together, said strands being each approximately 0.015 inch in diameter, said pair of strands being twisted together and the projecting ends of said strands being connected together at each end.

6. An ink supply system of the character set forth in claim 5 wherein the wick formed of the strands of mercerized cotton is saturated with a solution of glycerin and water in the proportions of two parts of glycerin by volume to two parts of water by volume.

7. An ink supply system of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the reservoir is formed of thin walled rigidly polystyrene plastic and the conductor tube is a 8 said pair of strands being twisted together and the projecting ends of said strands being connected together at each end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,577,998 3/1926 Arnold 33 34 2,308,710 1/1943 Nichols 346-140 2,345,335 3/1944 Ford 118--268 10 2,752,220 6/1956 Squier 346--140 FOREIGN PATENTS 185,856 9/1922 Great Britain.

15 LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, Examiner.

J. W. HARTARY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN INK SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR A PEN OF A RECORDING INSTRUMENT HAVING AN ELONGATE ARM PROVIDED WITH A PEN POINT AND COMPRISING: AN ELONGATE RESERVOIR HAVING A CHAMBER THEREIN AND HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING EXTERNAL GROOVE IN ONE SURFACE THEREOF; SAID RESERVOIR BEING FORMED OF LIGHT WEIGHT THIN-WALL RIGID PLASTIC AND BEING OPEN ONLY AT ITS UPPER END; AN ELONGATE CONDUCTOR TUBE FORMED OF A LIGHT WEIGHT THIN-WALL FLEXIBLE PLASTIC AND HAVING ITS UPPER PORTION MOVABLY DISPOSED IN SAID GROOVE OF SAID RESERVOIR AND ITS UPPER END EXTENDING FROM SAID GROOVE UPWARDLY OVER THE OPEN UPPER END OF SAID RESERVOIR AND DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID RESERVOIR AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID GROOVE AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE BOTTOM OF SAID RESERVOIR; A WICK EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CONDUCTOR TUBE AND HAVING AN UPPER END EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE UPPER END OF THE TUBE AND DOWNWARDLY INTO THE CHAMBER OF THE RESERVOIR TO A POINT ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF SAID CHAMBER AND A LOWER END EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF THE TUBE AND ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED WITHIN A PEN POINT; MEANS ON SAID RESERVOIR FOR RETAINING THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID TUBE WITHIN SAID EXTERNAL GROOVE OF SAID RESERVOIR MEANS ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID RESERVOIR FOR SECURING SAID RESERVOIR TO A PEN ARM; AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID CONDUCTOR TUBE TO SAID PEN ARM BELOW SAID RESERVOIR. 